Liquid port for pressure accumulator



Feb. 24, 1959 J. MERCIER 2,874,721

LIQUID PORT FOR PRESSURE ACCUMULATOR Filed Feb. 23,1956

ATTOR NEYS United St tes ,Patent ,0

2,874,721 v LIQUID PORT FOR PRESSURE A'CCUMULATOR Jean Mercier, New York, N. ,Y. Application February 23, 1956, Serial No. 567,331

4 Claims. (01. iss-soj This invention relates to pressure accumulators and more particularly to the fluidport construction: thereof- Where a pressure accumulator is of the type having a rigid container with a deformable partition or bladder therein interposed between the gas and liquid ports,'when' the bladder is inflated with. gas to a high pressure,.it will expand and unless some means are provided to prevent extrusion of the bladder through the liquid port, the bladder may rupture with resultant inoperativeness of the accumulator. 1

Where the liquid port of a pressure accumulator is formed by punching a multiplicity of holes through the accumulator shell, as the diameter of the punched holes must generally be greater than the thickness ofthe: shell itself, where the accumulator shell is designed to withstand high pressures, it is relatively thick and as-a result of the relatively large openings the accumulator bladder may extrude therethrough with resultant breakdown of the bladder andv failure of the accumulator.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide a fluid port construction for a pressure accumulator which may readily be fabricated at low cost and which will prevent extrusion therethrough of the deformable partition or bladder of the accumulator.

Another object is to provide a fluid port construction of the above type which will substantially reduce turbulence of the liquid passing therethrough.

.According to the invention, these objects are accomplished by the arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an accumulator according to one embodiment of the invention with parts broken away, parfly in cross section, a

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on a greatly enlarged scale of the liquid port construction of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view of the liquid port of a pressure accumulator according to another embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view on a greatly enlarged scale taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3 with parts broken away.

Referring now to the drawings, the pressure accumulator shown in Fig. l desirably comprises a container or pressure vessel 11, preferably of strong rigid material such as steel, cast aluminum, or the like, capable of withstanding high pressures. The container may be spherical or cylindro-spherical as desired and has a deformable partition 12 intervening between the gas port 13 and the liquid port 14. Preferably the partition is a collapsible and expansible bladder which desirably is of resilient material such as rubber or synthetic plastic of like physical characteristics, which in distended but substantially unstretched condition is smaller than the cavity of the container and the inlet 13 leads into the bladder 12.

In the illustrative embodiment shown, the end 15 of the shell 11 at the axis thereof is flattened as at 16 and a multiplicity of holes 17 of diameter substantially equal to the thickness of the shell are punched in said flattened portion 16 which preferably defines a circular member, said openings forming the liquid port 14.

Coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the shell 11 is a tubular member 21, one end of which is outwardly flared as at 22 and aflixed to the outer surfaceof end 15 as by welding as at 23. The tubular member 21 is desirably internally threaded as at 24 at its free end so that it may be suitably connectedto the hydraulic system in which the accumulator is incorporated.

' The flattened end 16 of the shell is coated with a resilient material 26 which may be rubber or like substance. The coating 26 covers the inner and outer surfaces 27, 28 of said flattened'end 16 as well as the bore surfaces 29 of the holes 17 in said end 16. The coating 26 on the outer surface 28 of the flattened portion 16 desirably is substantially conical in conformation as at 31 with the apices 32 of said conformations being directed downwardly.

Although the flattened end 16 of the shell may be coated in any suitable manner, according to a preferred method, such end is dipped into a vat of viscous rubberlike material. As the shell is withdrawn, the rubberlike material will coat the top and bottom surfaces of the end 16 and also the bore surfaces of the openings 17. In addition, the rubber-like material when dripping through the openings 17 will assume the conical conformations 31 above noted. v

Thereupon, the rubber-like material is vulcanized so that it will set properly and be securely bonded in position.

With a liquid port of the above type when liquid is forced through openings 17, turbulence will be substantially avoided in the tubular member 21 because of the guiding of such liquid flowing into and out of the latter due to'the streamlining eflect provided by said conical conformations 31.

When the expanding bladder 12 engagesthe coated surface 27 of the flattened portion 16, the resilient coating will be compressed and as the bore surfaces 29 of the openings 17 are also coated, the diameter of said openings 17 are relatively small so that they will be partially closed to prevent extrusion of the bladder.

If desired, the coating 26 can be made sufficiently thick so that upon compression thereof as above described, the openings 17 will be completely closed.

Although the flattened portion 16 with the coating 26 thereon has been shown as an integral part of the accumulator, it is within the scope of the invention to make such flattened portion as a separate insert. In addition, if desired the flattened portion whether as an integral part of the accumulator or a separate insert, could be curved to conform to the curvature of the end of the accumulator shell.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a tubular plug 41 is positioned in the port 14 of the accumulator shell 11', the plug 41 having an annular flange 42 resting on the inner surface of the periphery of said port 14'. Although the plug may be secured in port 14' in any suitable manner, as illustratively shown, a nut 43 is screwed on the externally threaded portion 44 of said plug. Thus when the nut is tightened the periphery of port 14 will be clamped between flange 42 and nut 43.

The plug 41 adjacent its inner end 45 has a transverse wall 46 with a multiplicity of perforations or openings 47 therethrough. Seated on the wall 46 in the recess 48 and secured therein in any suitable manner is a mesh screen 49, the individual wires 51 of which are covered Patented Feb. 24, 1959 3 with a coating-of resilientzmaterial 52 which may be of natural or synthetic. rubber;

The construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4 functions in substantially the same manner as that shown in Figs. 1 and.2. Thus,.when the expanding bladderill' engages the mesh screen. 49- which isreinforced by the perforated wall 46; thecoating 52.;will be compressed-to partially or completely .closethe openings 53 in. the; screen, depending upon the ,thickness of, the coating, but in any event to preclude extrusion of. the bladder 12".

As the resilient coatingin theembodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 covers the top and bottom as well as the bore surfaces ofthe openings 17 and in the embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4 completely'covers' the wiresv 51.for1ning the meshscreen .49, the 'coating .will' remain securelyin place without likelihood of slippage.

Although the constructionsaahove set forth have been described withrespect to;their, application-sin the liquid portcof. a pressure accumulator, it: is tojbe understood that they couldbe incorporated in the gasportof. such unit. Thus, whength'e. deformed bladder engaged the rubber coating, the latter would becompressedto prevent extrusionof: the bladder. 7

As many. changes could be made in the above construction,.and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of: the claims, itis intended that all matter contained in the above description or, shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting. sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of: the United States. is:

- 1. A fluid port construction for pressure accumulators of the type having a rigid container with adeformable partition therein movable against such port, said construction comprising a member havinga, multiplicity of openings therethrough and a coating of resilient material on the opposed top and bottom surfaces of said member and on the wall surfaces of the openings therethrough, the coatings on all of said surfaces being integral with each other.

2. The combination set. forth in claim 1 in which the resilient material on one of the opposed surfaces of said member defines .a multiplicity of .substantially. conical conformations interposed between such openings with the apices of said conformations directed outwardly from said member.,

3. A fluid port. construction for pressure accumulators of the type having a rigid'container with a deformable partition therein movable against such port, said construction comprising a tubular member adapted to be positioned in said port, said member having a transverse wall adjacent one endwith a multiplicityof openings therethrough, and. a screenon saidwall against which saidipartition may abut, said screen having a coating of resilient material on the..opposed surfaces thereof and onithewall surfacesof the openings therethrough.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which said. transverse wall defines the floor of a recess in said tubular.

member andsaid screen is mounted in said recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,387,598 Mercier Oct. 23, 1945 2,390,320- Overbeke Dec. 4, 1945 2,399,444. Mercien Apr.;30, 1946 2,630,834 Weber etal Mar. 10, 1953 

